Village News
Butterfield Trail Village: 35 Years of Excellence
Five years of expansion on campus When Butterfield Trail Village became home to its first two residents on March 10, 1986, no one could have imagined the ways the new retirement-living option in Northwest Arkansas would evolve and grow over the next 35 years. Butterfield has more than fulfilled the dreams and vision of the five Fayetteville churches which founded it, thanks to a dedicated board of directors, talented staff and dynamic residents who bring it all life. Over the last five years, the area’s first self-governed, nonprofit retirement community has kept similar pace with the region’s commitment to enhancing quality of life amenities – completing a number of capital projects to serve and delight today’s active and engaged retiree population. Over 400 people live in the Village today, enjoying the sound investments made in creating beautiful, senior-focused spaces built to serve many generations to come. A June 2016 groundbreaking celebration at the Village marked the first step toward construction of a $6.7 million expansion of Butterfield’s multi-purpose Commons Center. Designed to “enhance and sustain the vitality of residents for generations to come,” an impressive 17,200 square feet of additional space set the stage for a range of amenities.
Full Array of Projects On November 7, 2017 the new Commons Center opened with great fanfare – boasting an iconic grand porte-cochère entrance built with both form and function in mind by allowing residents and guests to avoid the challenges of bad weather. Just through the doors, a new lobby, reception area and security
office were established to welcome everyone on their way to locations throughout the building. In the heart of building, the most highly anticipated new components of the Commons found special homes. The new state-of-the-art Performance Hall created expanded seating for programs and events from 85 to 285 – and brought about the addition of a new Yamaha C-7 grand piano, thanks to the support of generous residents and the BTV Foundation. Installation of professional grade lighting and remote-controlled cameras made it possible to broadcast live programming directly to residents via the BTV in-house cable channel. A woodland-themed living room was completed just outside of the Performance Hall, filled with ample cozy seating, a large fireplace and installation of colorful prints by area artist George Dombek. Just beyond the popular gathering spot, the Commons expanded to include the casual dining Bistro for breakfast and lunch, built to overlook the newly landscaped South Courtyard and outdoor patio. Beyond these new options, residents were excited to also gain a larger General Store, a new Transportation Desk, new meeting spaces, and a Low Vision Library Room with audio books and assistive technologies for reading. With increased available space in the original building, the evergrowing campus fitness and wellness program was able to utilize the old Convocation Room as a center for group classes. While the Commons Center expansion and renovation provided an enormous change to the overall face of Butterfield, there was also a full array of additional capital projects completed around the same time. Renovations in the Health Care Center
Performance Hall
18 BUTTERFIELD LIFE
Commons Center
MARCH + APRIL 2021
